


Once I Found You Divine

by OrangeBlossoms



Category: Fire Emblem: The Sacred Stones
Genre: F/F, Innes/Vannesa mentioned, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-05
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2019-01-09 05:35:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12269937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OrangeBlossoms/pseuds/OrangeBlossoms
Summary: Part of Eirichel week. Day Four (10/04) - Divine / HealingVictory is unexpectedly bittersweet. The Princess of Rausten supports the Restoration Princess after the War of the Stones.





	Once I Found You Divine

**Author's Note:**

> I really wanted to do more for this week and I had started a few things (all from Eirika’s perspective or 3rd person omniscient, actually, but this is the one that is finished… I’ll blame it on my troubadour bias). I thought I’d try to do one story that I can put a bit more effort into than several of varying quality (sorry, rarepair week). 
> 
> One thing that I really like about Eirika and L’Arachel is that we get to see some self-awareness on L’Arachel’s part in her interactions with Eirika that we don’t get as much in how she is with other characters. I enjoy her as comic relief (and as an optimistic, exuberant female character), but I also appreciate how she seems to have an understanding of when to take it down a notch (or ten). She's a bit more subdued in this, but I always felt the end of Sacred Stones was actually somewhat bleak. The war is won, but much was lost along the way and there’s still so much work to do. 
> 
> Title is from a Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz poem. The other part of the verse is "How could I fail to love you," (once I found you divine?). (It’s a bit dramatic, but so is L’Arachel.)
> 
> \--  
>  _¿Puedo yo dejar de amarte_  
>  _si tan divina te advierto?_
> 
>  _Filis_ , Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz  
> \--

There had been missteps. Things they did not understand and had not learned from forced marches and life-or-death battles though their shared experiences certainly drew them closer. There was a solemn talk interrupted by an ambush, a hopeful feeling that grew in them both at the bestowal of a gift, and a promise to survive the long night of the final stages of their journey.

In the end, L’Arachel had returned to Rausten, much to the relief of her uncle. Both sacred instruments were restored to their resting places. L’Arachel’s hand lingered on the great tome Ivaldi hoping to never see its use again in her lifetime even as the hum of magic called to her, reminding her of the power it held within its pages. Locking it up for future use felt like a sentence, a death knell to adventure that rang hollow in her heart. Victory was unexpectedly bittersweet. Letters were few and far between and spoke only of work and rebuilding what was lost, the fatigue palpable as it cast doubt in even the indomitable. 

A sensation of mourning hit her one day though her chest tightened at the comparison knowing that she wasn't the one with family recently deceased. It was Eirika she should be worried over, not her own feelings of languishing in idleness even as she regularly led expeditions into the neighboring woods to root out revenants. Upon closer inspection of the letters, it was more than exhaustion she discerned from the words. There was a profound sadness hidden in the phrasing. When the grief in Eirika's correspondence began to sound perilous, she no longer kept her distance. She made plans to visit, her missives imbued with a confident cheer she hoped to pass on to the reader.

As she crested the final hill, Dozla and Rennac in tow along with an entire procession pledged in support of the needs of Renais, she paused for a moment to smooth her riding cloak, noting the gathered dust with dismay. L’Arachel had her duties as a princess and an ally. She could always focus on that in the wake of potential disappointment. What cause could be more valorous than aiding in the recovery of the continent? She offered her encouragement freely, but held her secrets safe and close. L’Arachel much preferred action over waiting, but she knew when the personal needed to be deferred. The reality of the situation was thornier than she could have predicted.

On the days that were the most difficult, she wanted to pull Eirika along and say, “Come, let us run away together. We will fight the fiends and become the talk of legends.”

These fancies were kept to herself and played out in her mind as she fell asleep many nights. Eirika with her rapier and her with her tomes would be heralded as they passed through towns, freeing the countryside of all manner of foul beasts. They would bring faith to those whose hopes had long since faded. Eirika, whose eyes were tired and mouth turned down, would smile again. Her waking dreams soothed the selfish ache in her chest as she spent her days focused on upholding the will of the Restoration Princess via her own substantial resolution.

Small, unintended rejections gave her pause now and again. Would she like to walk through the gardens that evening? The sky was clear and the stars outshone by a full moon. No, Eirika was exhausted and would be turning in after the last meeting of the night. A ride through the king’s forest, perhaps? Fresh air would do them good. Impossible with the day's schedule.

Only later did she realize the castle gardens were overgrown, some of the less hardy plants as wilted and crumbled as sections of Renais itself. The paths through the forest were equally neglected. She would bring them back to their former glory, she decided. Not yet, but someday when they weren't on their feet for hours or in meetings from dawn until dusk. They would walk through them together as friends or something else, her visions as expansive as the night sky. As long as Eirika continued to seek her out for companionship and guidance, she would be there.

It had been foolish to think the strife could all be buried with the chambers of the Demon King, collapsed somewhere deep in the earth never to be heard from again. Both siblings handled the after effects differently, but maintained one shared thread: constant activity. There were days where even in the company of them and all of their retainers she felt solitary, lacking the feverish compulsion to tackle projects. She could never understand, she worried. 

She was not of Renais. 

She had never met King Fado.

She had not known Prince Lyon. 

Ephraim inherited the throne. Some of his desires mirrored her own as he rode off into battle with brigands and monsters, disregarding the wishes of advisers and allies alike. Eirika merely sighed at the news, before once again bending over maps marking supply routes to villages in need of assistance. 

“There is little point in chasing after him for the purpose of chastisement,” she said at L’Arachel’s inquiry into what they should do. “We have more than enough to keep us occupied here.”

L’Arachel had wondered at her own anger later that evening as she paced her quarters. Dozla had been the one to help her realize the jealousy for what it was. That wasn't all of it though, she had insisted, a new pair of gloves creasing as her fists clenched. How could he leave his sister alone?

“Ah, but she has you, Lady L’Arachel,” he said, jovial even in the face of her agitation.

And she did. It wasn’t something she could admit to just yet. Not until things calmed. Not until it wouldn't do more harm than good. If loyal Dozla who also delighted in the glory of battlefield triumphs could see what was needed, so could she.

The questions started simply.

“What do you need me to do?”

Then grew more earnest. She would allow herself that much.

“How can I ease your burden, Eirika?” 

They could talk like that alone without need for titles in the evening in Eirika's study. She would stay her hands as she saw Eirika's shoulders weighed down by her troubles, remembering a time when she closed the distance without hesitation to wipe a line of tears from a cheek. She had called her beautiful then. The thought still rang true even if she dared not say it now.

As time went on, levity was often welcome and she danced on the line between banter and discourtesy, a teasing curve to her lips at various suggestions.

“Should I pull your brother back by his ear? My knights of Rausten are more than capable of slaying terrors. It's what they trained for, after all!”

“Do you miss him?” Eirika asked, joking in response before returning to the task at hand.

“My thoughts are only for you and Renais. I don't suppose I should leave you at such a time. Certainly not! I couldn't!” 

“Thank you, L’Arachel. I know I can count on you.”

With that she quieted, content to focus again on their work, driven with a new sense of purpose.

Some suggestions were outlandish, but it was all in an attempt to entice an amused reaction without the added pressure of Eirika having to follow through or turn her down.

“What say you to the thought of climbing the tallest tree near the castle? We can take an afternoon tea with the birds.”

“If we were as free as the birds, I would take you up on your offer,” she replied with a sigh and a weary grin.

The laughter that would follow grew less hesitant with each passing week. Some days she thought she could be content with that. She would pretend those infrequent smiles were just for her, something shared that was soft and charming and gone all too quickly like a promise in a gale. The responsibilities never slowed, but they became more manageable.

Eventually, she understood what needed to be done and it was easier. She could almost predict the daily requirements as they fell to Eirika. Together they grew more efficient, in large part due to learning how and to whom to delegate tasks among their growing assortment of advisers, castle staff, knights and trusted members of court. They went from drowning to treading water, L’Arachel hoping to pull Eirika up from the stormy seas that some days threatened to swallow them both.

~*~

It was her birthday. _Their_ birthday, she reminded herself. Her own had come and gone without fanfare, but saints days were always more celebrated in Rausten. She hoped to teach Eirika their customs one day. She wrote to Tana, Innes and several others not entrusted with the reconstruction of Grado. A grand event as she was tempted to arrange seemed insensitive with the current state of the kingdom and more time consuming than either of the siblings’ schedules would allow. She rode out herself and returned victorious with Ephraim at her side even if it was a temporary arrangement. The ascended twin had been working with Duessel and cleaning up the border. He had found his own important undertakings to complete. Relations between the two nations remained precarious, no matter the good will between their leaders. Still vexed at his earlier departure, she couldn't help but sing his sister's praises over her accomplishments at home as they rode north from Renvall. 

Several days after their return, the first set of guests arrived. There was no way to keep anything a surprise as much as she wanted to see the shocked delight on Eirika's face as Tana dismounted in a windy courtyard one sunny day. The exchange was warm, nonetheless, and L’Arachel was content to observe the happiness from a distance. Innes would be traveling separately with a retinue that included his fiancée, Vanessa, another companion from the war. L'Arachel kept her expression in check at the news. Innes was the last person she would expect to be first to marry though there were similar rumblings that Natasha had grown smitten with the desert prince.

She watched Eirika's response, sincere and demure as would be expected of a princess. Her formal dress felt deceptive when L’Arachel was still more accustomed to her armor and swords. Either way, there were qualities to admire in them both: Eirika the once reluctant warrior and Eirika the self-possessed diplomat. There were many moments where she was just as much one as the other.

She saw Tana lean in and whisper in Eirika's ear, Eirika laughing in return, a hand placed on her friend's shoulder for balance. A sudden concern pawed insistently at the back of her mind. She excused herself to check on the rest of the preparations. Both Tana and Innes would be put to work as this visit was as much diplomatic as it was recreational. Before they could protest, she was gone, waving off questions as staff looked on with concern. The Princess of Rausten was known for her cheerful, if ostentatious, demeanor yet she suddenly appeared serious.

~*~

Tana found her later before the evening meal, the smell of pegasus and grime from traveling washed away. L’Arachel had recovered from her earlier doubts and was able to meet the other princess with a welcoming smile. They embraced and she noted a scent of lavender in the air.

“My apologies for earlier! I have been working with the staff to ensure the next few days happen without any issues. I have been hoping to give Eirika some kind of respite,” L’Arachel said, pulling back from Tana’s arms.

“Not a problem at all! In fact, this is a break for me as well. I cannot tell you how worked up Innes is over the prospect of a wedding. He wants everything just so,” she said and laughed in a way that was light and pleasant.

It was different from Eirika's, more animated somehow and closer to L’Arachel’s own. She had never gotten to know the Princess of Frelia well, but something told her they could be friends, if given the chance. Tana gripped her hands. 

_So much more forward than Eirika!_

“We are more than the silly girls they might think we are,” Tana said, eyes dancing over an open secret before her expression grew more solemn. “I only wish I could have helped her. We've had our own business in Frelia to attend to these past months.”

“She's done work above and beyond her position as princess. No one knows the needs of Renais better than Eirika,” L’Arachel said by way of agreement.

“And does no one know the needs of Eirika better than you?” Tana asked, voice almost a whisper and hands still holding her own. She fixed her with a knowing expression, rooting her in place.

L’Arachel’s mouth opened in a silent gasp, her breath stolen from her at the question.

“I shall put in a good word for you, Princess of Light. Pray lend her to me for an evening. I do so miss my dear friend,” she said.

There was no malice in the words, but all she could do was offer a nervous laugh in return. Tana let her go as L’Arachel turned to examine one of the tapestries that had survived Orson’s reign. It was a hunting scene with hounds baying at the sight of deer. She was sympathetic in that moment.

“That won't be necessary. Eirika has quite enough to deal with,” she said, unable to hide a sense of wistfulness from her voice.

“Oh, but we cannot dwell in the past forever. And what a surprise to see the Princess of Rausten give herself pause over such a thing! I always thought of you as someone who didn’t have a fear in the world.”

She turned back to look at Tana who arched an eyebrow at her. It was a challenge, a dare even.

“It is not rejection that I fear!” she said, determined to speak candidly on the topic or not at all. Tana appeared unconvinced. “At least, not completely. It's… discretion or lack thereof. Yes! I know myself and I would rather wait until it is… appropriate.”

Tana brought a finger to her chin and tapped it.

“I see. Did you know she wrote of you in her letters to me? There weren’t many. As you’ve suggested, she’s been busy learning how to care for her kingdom,” Tana said.

L’Arachel’s curiosity was piqued, but it wouldn’t be noble at all to learn about Eirika’s thoughts via second hand accounts.

“I did not, but I fear we have delayed too long. Let us walk,” she said, gesturing ahead. Tana offered an arm and L’Arachel accepted after a moment’s hesitation.

“I would very much like us to be friends. Eirika is like a sister to me. Perhaps one day you will be as well, through one means or another,” she said and laughed once again as L’Arachel’s face heated at the suggestion.

She had encountered terrors more merciful than the Princess of Frelia.

~*~

It wasn't everyone. That would be impossible, she thought. With a wedding on the horizon, she hoped to see most of their makeshift army gathered together in the near future. Despite her fantasies of making a name for herself, they had already experienced the life of legends, many of them before their twentieth year. One day she hoped to write it all down in an account of their defeat of the Demon King. Now the wounds were still too fresh. No one spoke directly of the former Prince of Grado, least of all the twins of Renais. Unwilling to allow such thoughts to distract her from good food and better company, she returned her attentions to the current topic of discussion.

L’Arachel had insisted on a moratorium of all things matter of state over their last dinner together, so the the topic of pegasi had somehow come up. Both Tana and Vanessa spoke in animated agreement with each other over their preferred qualities in a mount. They repeatedly deferred to the knowledge of their mentor, Syrene, who was not present as she had responsibilities that kept her in Frelia (much to the dismay of Kyle). Innes, for his part, puffed his chest at their display of expertise and L’Arachel resisted the temptation to bait him into sharing his own knowledge on the topic, a pool of which she sensed was much shallower than either his sister’s or bride-to-be’s. She had already engaged him on the superiority of Rausten’s weather over that of Frelia when he had complained over delays due to snow in the mountains causing their entire party to arrive a day late.

As the gathering began to drift apart for the evening, she noticed Ephraim watching from a side of the room. He had staved off several challenges from an inebriated Innes who had eventually been pulled away by his betrothed. L’Arachel approached him and stood by his side after a greeting.

“You will stay, won't you?” she asked, maintaining a pleasant expression as they looked out at the distinct groups.

“You wish to return to Rausten?”

“You would send me away, should you return?” she asked, her tone was playful, but the edges of her eyes creased and smile widened at the suggestion. It was a friendly warning.

“I fear my sister would be upset at the prospect. You hope to take her with you?”

“I hope to show her more of my beloved Rausten one day,” she said, avoiding acknowledging the implication in his tone. She had thought him unobservant on certain matters, but they were twins, after all.

He stood up straighter, wine in hand sloshing at the abruptness of his movement.

“I wouldn't dissuade her, if it's what she desires to do,” he said.

“Of course. It's up to her.”

“Of course,” he agreed, “I always knew we were never both meant to live out our days in Renais.”

She looked over at him to reevaluate the now King of Renais and was taken aback to see the severity of his expression.

“She is a different kind of leader than I am,” he said, brows gathering in at the statement. It was something in between an admission and an observation.

“And the people have been fortunate for her guidance in this trying time,” she said, “You could learn from her, you know. Just as she learned the blade from you. She's told me of your sparring lessons.”

“Is that a recommendation?” he asked, an eyebrow raised upward.

It was his turn to appraise her, more than a head and a half shorter and in a formal dress of unblemished white trimmed with gold. Much like any perceived confrontation, she didn't flinch, but rather rose to the occasion.

“As it is a blessing to receive counsel from a holy woman such as myself, I would think even a king should be grateful!” she said, grinning behind a hand at his reaction.

“Hmph.”

She shared her delight the rest of the evening as she floated between groups to boast and laugh. She was the Light of Rausten come to enliven Renais in its hour of need.

~*~

They retired together, L’Arachel following Eirika to her quarters, expecting a briefing for the next day before she would return to her own rooms. They had seen less of each other over the past several days with the exception of meeting times and shared meals. Eirika’s movements were uncharacteristically abrupt and L’Arachel wondered over the possibility that she was distressed over the pending departures. Ephraim was still there, at least. Tomorrow would be as good a time as any to show him what they had been working on in his absence even if there was much to be gleaned from the meetings of the past few days. Eirika was quiet and there was something hidden in the silence that she was unable to parse out.

“Are you alright, Eirika?” she asked as they turned down a final corridor, grip tightening around the stave she carried with her. It was a simple mend staff, but one could never be too prepared.

Eirika staggered at the question before continuing at her normal pace, her lips pulled down as if to talk before she shook her head. Something was certainly wrong, but she would give Eirika the space she needed to answer the question herself. 

Seeing Eirika's rooms was no novelty to her at this point. They met there often to plan ahead, optimizing the limited time at their disposal. There was a point during the war she had taken the opportunity to share with her friend her rooms in the palace in Rausten. It had been a clumsy attempt to show her appreciation and appease the feelings she had yet to fully understand. 

_What a thing to remember now._

When they arrived, Eirika indicated for her to sit before settling down next to her, eyes downcast.

“I’m not sure where to begin,” she said. L’Arachel nodded in silent encouragement, confused yet patient. “I don't think I ever told you what it was like to return, the castle interior destroyed and then to mourn my father…” She shook at the memories and L'Arachel held her hand.

“I’m sorry,” she said. 

“I’m alright. I just wanted to try to explain because I never felt as though I could before. Even when I wanted to, I could never find the way to say it. Seeing Tana helped, I think. We could talk about things… as they once were.”

“I’m glad,” she said and she was. Anything to help even if she couldn't be the person to provide it.

Eirika took a slow breath and closed her eyes, her other hand resting over their joined ones.

“She said I should move on or try to. To focus on the good. That I’m stuck feeling… broken over what we had to do… over how I failed,” she said, tears trailing down her cheeks as she choked on a laugh. “Ah, I thought I had cried enough over it all months ago.” She pulled a hand back to wipe an eye. 

L’Arachel offered a soft smile. “Don't look so sad,” she said, echoing the old words. She did reach out this time, a hand brushing against the cheek Eirika hadn't touched. “We’re all here for you. You don't have to do everything yourself.”

Time slowed as she felt Eirika lean into the contact.

“Thank you, L’Arachel,” she said.

Eirika unburdened many thoughts that night, most of which L’Arachel knew or expected and others that were new to her. They were sensations and worries that had been held onto so tightly they crumbled to dust only to renew themselves again and plague her anew. They would circle back on themselves like a snake eating its own tail, often surprising her with unforeseen angles she hadn't considered in the moment the original memories were created. She listened to Eirika's words until there were no more and they sat together in silence. Like drawing out venom from a wound, time would tell if it was enough. L’Arachel’s walk back to her quarters several hours later was accompanied by the echo of her steps in the empty corridors, the world asleep. 

~*~

Ephraim did leave again only to make a permanent return once Sir Seth had been installed as a proxy in the continuing efforts on their southern borders. Much like his sister, he began to learn how to delegate. L’Arachel observed as he stumbled through his first several attempts. She had initially thought his battlefield knowledge was of limited application to politics, but she could see how he began to analyze and then strategize the proper responses.

“I like to think of it as a different sort of challenge,” L’Arachel told him one day after several hours of wrangling a set of unruly nobles in a meeting, his sister saving things from falling apart on more than one occasion as she deftly managed conflicts he was only beginning to understand. “No less necessary than cleansing the land of fiends. It makes it a bit more exciting that way!”

He did eventually seek guidance from his sister, though L’Arachel only heard from Eirika herself, a layer of wonder coating her voice as she relayed the experience. 

Ephraim took on more responsibilities and Eirika slowly had scraps of free time as she disentangled herself from tasks meant for the sitting monarch.

~*~

It was a spring evening when they finally took a walk together through the gardens. The grounds were full of young foliage, the majority of the old unsalvageable and L’Arachel now intimately familiar with a wide range of horticultural knowledge. She was an early riser and spent more than a few mornings in consultation with the staff on the project. Dozla himself joined in when it came to some of the heavy lifting, his bellowing guffaw carrying across the space as he worked. Despite all that had been achieved, she had been disappointed to learn that many of the new bushes would be unable to flower for several years to come. As they walked down the paths, she occupied the discussion with descriptions of what it would look like in the future.

“Did you know, Eirika, that most of the books on horticulture were left in the library?” she asked. Magic tomes and rarer materials, some of which were unique to their collection, had mostly gone missing during the war. 

“I did not,” she said as she kept pace next to her, “Is that what was used to inform the layout?”

“Precisely!” L’Arachel said, leaning into her arm, “Someone had even documented several seasons of designs for this very palace.”

“I still don't understand when you had time for all this,” Eirika said and she hummed in response, rocking on her feet a moment before continuing to walk with her.

“It's such a shame it was too late in the season to plant bulbs, but next year! I expect everything will look entirely different then. I can picture the colors now,” she said. 

A pleasant silence followed. Most of her knights had returned to Rausten, a much smaller party staying behind than the one she had arrived with months prior. Letters from her uncle also began to hint at a need for her to return. She felt it, too, with the change in seasons. She loosened her hold on Eirika’s arm, wishing for a drink of water as she cleared her throat. 

“What do you think of accompanying me to Rausten?” she asked, holding her breath as she waited for a response. She had spent days thinking of the right words and anticipating the correct moment. Straightforward seemed best, in this case. 

Eirika stopped mid stride and turned to look at her.

“I am not sure I could leave Renais,” she said with reluctance and then turned away. Her hand came up to touch her own face before running her fingers through her hair, the last of the day's light shining off the strands.

L’Arachel exhaled through her nose, a corner of her mouth pulling upward in consolation of herself or Eirika, she wasn't sure.

“It's not something you need to decide right away,” she said, unsurprised by the initial reply. 

“I will talk with my brother,” she said, once again facing her and meeting her eyes. She extended a hand and L’Arachel took it. “I won't keep you waiting.” 

A breeze shook the leaves and pulled at her hair as the surrounding gardens came into focus. There was commitment in the way Eirika said it, a level of gravity to the promise. She leaned in, linking their arms once again and twining their fingers.

“Of course! Now, shall we?” she asked, restraining herself from a desire to skip along the path. There was nothing she could do to prevent a flash of teeth as she smiled.

The air suddenly different, they continued their meandering, talking of nothing of importance for once. It ended up being one of the most memorable evenings she would later recall spending in Renais.

~*~

After the spring rains ended, they set out for Rausten together. There were detours along the way in villages and homes of old friends. L’Arachel fulfilled her wishes of fighting alongside Eirika once again as they traveled through unguarded stretches of road. Each step closer to Rausten restored a missing bit of intensity to her motions and brilliance to her person she hadn't realized the extent of which she had suppressed. She cheered with Dozla and laughed with Eirika at their triumphs and discoveries, the highlight of which had been a village where their reputation preceded them as fair maidens and valiant defenders against rogues and beasts. 

“We did it, Dozla!” she declared in the evening as Eirika looked on, perplexed. “They have heard of our campaign even after our long absence!”

As familiar landmarks began to take shape as they once again took the long way around, she shared their histories with their guests from Renais. One evening she sang a song in an old dialect recounting a legend of Mount Mimir, Dozla rumbling a bass line and several knights joining in on the second verse. The biggest surprise was the warm timbre of Rennac who, as he bemoaned the unwanted attention, sulkily explained that he had been forced to take voice lessons as a child.

The evenings during their last week had a celebratory atmosphere as some of the knights had been away from friends and family for months. The festivities continued as a feast in honor of their arrival was prepared for them their first evening. The pontifex welcomed L’Arachel home with open arms and she was softened to see a shine to his eyes as he greeted her. He blinked and it was gone in time for him to address their royal guest.

“Princess Eirika, how truly honored we are to have you once again amongst our hallowed halls.”

They were there not as a desperate last hope but rather as returning champions come home after a long journey. 

The first days she watched Eirika for signs of discomfort and was unsurprised to see her hands fidget during idle periods. L’Arachel had her own responsibilities at home that she had long deferred and would leave her with Dozla or her uncle at times. 

Rausten was in a different condition than Renais, there was no denying it, but with letters from her brother, L’Arachel observed a noticeable unwinding. Things could be alright. They had left everything in capable hands and done much of the work to ensure a smooth transition. 

There were times for tea and long talks as they spoke of nothing and everything. As her own duties calmed into more of a routine, she chided herself one day that there certainly was such a thing as being overly cautious. It hadn't escaped her attention that Eirika had worn the gift she had given her all that time ago nearly every day since arriving (with the exception of a few active afternoons in the neighboring Darkling Woods). There were other things she provided that went beyond her role as hostess in the form of small gifts and flowers from Castle Rausten’s grounds. 

One day over tea, she put forward a proposal. “I thought tonight we could dine apart from everyone. Just the two of us. Uncle won't mind,” she said, feeling the warmth in her face.

“I would love to,” Eirika said, eyes bright and cheeks tinged pink. 

The rest of the afternoon was a haze of anxious preparations. The following day she had trouble recalling how she spent the hours between tea and dinner beyond fussing over her appearance and chattering to Dozla about their guest. 

After the meal, they stood in L’Arachel’s quarters like they had all that time ago. Somehow alone together it all fell into place. A teasing kiss on bare knuckles was a test. Her eyes caught the heirloom suspended from Eirika’s neck, the splash of red catching the candlelight’s glow and her skin coloring to match at the gesture.

“I cannot begin to show my appreciation for your willingness to visit Rausten,” L’Arachel said, smile renewed at the sight of her, convinced she appeared more magnificent than usual.

There was a tremor she felt travel up her arms at the proximity and she did her best to conceal the shiver by turning to gaze out a window. The time for circumspection was over, but it wouldn't do to rush things in the moment. She could be patient for a while longer.

“I should apologize… these past months...” Eirika murmured and something inside her twisted at the thought. She turned to her and held her hands much in the same way Tana had reached out to her before. L’Arachel waited for downcast eyes to raise to meet her own.

“Whatever possible imagined offense you believe to have caused-”

Soft lips pressed against hers, cutting her off as fingers rested on exposed shoulders. Her hands clenched briefly before she relaxed into the touch. Eirika pulled away first, eyes searching. L’Arachel was at a loss for words for a moment too long and Eirika hands fell from where they had grasped her shoulders, the sudden warmth on skin gone.

“Sorry, I-”

Animated once again, L’Arachel leaned in and offered a second fleeting kiss before pulling back and grinning, outshining her earlier smile. 

“No need!”

She drew Eirika into an embrace, whispering now as she didn't quite trust her voice to sound as bold as was expected of the Princess of Rausten.

“No need at all, dearest Eirika.” 

She rested her forehead gently against Eirika's.

“I can be judicious when the circumstance calls for it,” she said, feeling as though she could dance or hum or even fly. 

Eirika laughed and L’Arachel thought it was her favorite one yet.

“I know you could do anything, should you believe in it,” she said, cautious smile growing into an easy grin.

“It’s true! See? You already know me well!” L’Arachel exclaimed, voice gaining strength before it grew measured again. “At the risk of sounding overly sentimental, I’ve been waiting to express my feelings more clearly since… well, since before I went to Renais!” 

Eirika pulled her close and leaned her head against her.

“I thought that might be the case. There were so many days I could barely bring myself to take care of my own things. I couldn't begin to think of doing anything… like this properly, but I so valued having you with me. I can only hope to make up for the time lost.” 

“Oh, nonsense,” L’Arachel said, wrapping her arms around her waist and resting a cheek against a shoulder, “We’ll both have plenty of time for everything we'd like to do and then some. I’m expecting many years of this!”

Eirika chuckled affectionately at the thought before pulling her up into another kiss the likes of which had her gripping her shoulders in order to remain on her feet.

~*~

Several months later found her on the arm of Eirika catching her breath after a dance with the groom where they spent most of the time in heated debate.

“Well, he started it, dearest! He said his wedding is the greatest Magvel has ever seen and possibly ever would! And I said it was all well and good if he only hoped to compare himself to Joshua who went ahead and married without telling any of us, but that _ours_ would be the event that would be talked about for generations!” she said, peppering her delivery with fluttery gestures from her free hand.

“Ours?” Eirika asked. Unbeknownst to her, L’Arachel was already drafting a variety of plans in her head over the perfect proposal. Everything would be transcendent.

“Naturally! We’ll have everyone there even if I have to ride out to retrieve them myself!” she said, straightening her shoulders as she pulled Eirika close.

“Well, I look forward to making history with you then,” Eirika said, knowing just how to humor her. L’Arachel thought she couldn’t be any more blessed in that moment.


End file.
